The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-07-23

The Diamonds Worn by Prominent New
York Politicians.

Twced's time were considered small frv
indeed if they put in an appearance on
mOmentOus state occasions without
diamond ornaments The decoration
that proved a citizen to be . true blue
of the Tammany tribe was the Americus
Club tiger. with eyes of flashing bril-
liants. But if the golden tiger were
there it made little difference whether
his eyes were diamonds, rubies, opals,
or emeralds.
Diamonds have always been in more
general use among Democratic states
men than among Republicans, and
young aspirants for power and place
are more partial to them than the old
veterans. John Kelly never wore .
diamond ornament, and in his late
years Samuel j. Tllden decked his per-
son with no other Jewels than plain
pearl studs. When a young man he
wore diamonds in profusion of the most
beautiful and expensive types. but he
always kept within the limits of the
severest taste.
Abram S. Hewitt never wears dia-
monds, and neither does Theodore
Roosevelt nor Henry George. In fact,
the men who have filled the mavoralty
chair during the las: twenty years were,
with scarcely an exception. remarkable
for the simplicity of their dress and the
absence of jewel ornaments of showy
or expensive character. Mayors Grace,
Cooper, Ely, and Havemeyer never ap-
peared at the City Hall in diamond
studs. Mayor Wickham displayed dia-
mond studs and collar buttons very fire.
quently. but Mayor Edison never wore
them except in full evening dress.
Roswell =. Flower is a sworn enemy
to diamonds as articles of personal
ornament He has been frequently
heard to say:
Persons who require jewels to show
of their points, or To draw of attention
from natural defects. are to be pitied
rather than complmented. Diamonds
are ell very well for sporting men and
horse-jockcys."
Notwithstanding this very positive
expression Of opinion. Mr.. Flower is the
owner of a beautiful diamond OF the
purest water, which he wears every
day. 1t is set in heavy gold ring
worn on the second finger of his left
hand. The diamond is always carried
on the inside, and cannot be seen un-
less the hand Is opened out. His inti-
mate friends suppose it to be nothing
more than plain gold ring. Mr..
Flower wears it because it is present
from his wife.
None of the judges Of the higher
courts in this jurisdiction make a show
of jewelry, but it is different among the
magistrates who preside in the police
courts. j. Henry Ford has the repuia-
ton of being the best dressed man on
the police bench. He is good judge
of diamonds and owns many valuable
sets. Justice Hatterson wears diamond
studs regularly, and Justices Murray
and Duffy occasionally.
John j. . Bren. Robert G. McCord,
and Barney Biglin, The celebrated ''boy
trio" of Republicans. emulate one
another in the SIZE and quality of the
diamonds they display. ''Shed" Shook,
the Republican leader in the Fifteenth
district. carries oil the palm from them
all. Everybody who frequents the
Morton House must have seen and ad-
mired his $1,000 solitaire, which weighs
four and half carats
Several of the statesmen who were
elected TO Congress recently are
wearers OF costly jewels. Tim Camp
bells shirt-front Is covered over with a
cluster an inch square. His friends say
the cluster is composed of diamonds Of
pure water valued ut S6. 700, but his
political foes declare they are paste
jewels which can bc duplicated in the
Dowery for 80 cents.
Congressman-elect Amos j. Cum
mngs appears in very small and neat
diamond studs on dress occasions. but
Congressman Truman A. Merriman
ihlnks he is a big diamond himself and
needs no foreign adornments. BOurke
Cochran has liking for diamond studs,
Gen. Spinoia and Lloyd Bryce are salts
fled with diamond collar-buttona Perry
Belmont rarely displays n diamond.
and then only very small studs in even
ing dress Tom Grady will sport
diamonds in 1888.
The most gorgeous and beautiful dia-
monds worn by public men in this city.
which cannot be classed as loud, are
probably those which. deck the persons
of Police Commissioner John j. Nc
Clave and Richard NJ. Walters. the
Tammany brave. Mrs. McClave wears
pair of diamond earrings which
arouse envy in the breast OF every lady
i'm the house when she enters a theatre.
As she twists her pretty head around
when the lights are turned low they
glitter and sparkle like lantern in the
chamber of coal mine. They are gems
of rare beauty and high value.
Captain Williams wears big diamonds
in the evening. rs does also ex-Police
Superintendent Kelso. Sheriff Grant
cares nothing for diamonds, but Reg
is,er John Reilly. Tom Cos,igan. Nick
Muller. Jim Barker, Rollin NJ. Squire.
and Martin B. Brown love them dearly.
Mr.. Charles Steckler, brother OF the
Judge, wears a diamond solitaire val
ued at $1,000. Lawyer William r.
Howe wears a cluster not quite rs big
as a buckwheat cake. and little Lawyer
Hummel wears very neat diamonds.
He received present OF new set from
Lord Lonsdale. Joseph j. O'Donohue.
the Tammany chieftain. wears very
pretty diamond studs Robert Is. Noon
ev, the President of the Board of Alder
men. and Henry w. Beekman. the
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